The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-06-16

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had parting interview with Anna His
last words were: "You'll not forget
me, Anna, while I'm parted from you1
I'm a.coming back for you some day.
Till then, no river"
''Till what2"
"That's bit of French, my dear.
I've bin learning the langwidgo lately.
IT'S something like good by only more
so. Ho river" And so they parted.
In the course of few weeks Ben and
his master were comfortably settled in
small German village near Bonn. The
house where they had made their homo
was an old farmhouse that had once be-
longcd to nvblc family, but was now
partly fallen to decay. 1t was inhabited
by the present owner, who carried on
the business of small farmer and wine
grower. He had neither wife nor child,
the domestic functions being super
intended, and in a great measure per-
formed, by sister. Naturally, there
fore, it came about that Ben and Frau
lein Schmidt we're often in each others
company, and naturally also, Ben i'm
proved the occasion. If the Fraulein,
with womanly curiosity, asked about
the Herr Westley, Ben was careful to
explain to her that Herr Wcstlcy was u
great baron at home, dwelling in man
sion with marble halls and gilded cell
ings; that he, Benjamin Biggins, was
the confidential companion Of this said
great baron, and that, though lie (Bcn-
jamin) now appeared in the role of a
servant, he had remarkably good posi- :
ton among the gentlemen of his native
land. And the Fraulein would listen
with flushed checks and sparkling eyes.
Sometimes in the evening, before the
farmer had come home, as they sat to-
gether by the house place fire, Ben
would delight his listener with stories
of tho wonders Of London. He had
spent few hours there one day while
attending upon his master, and he there
fore felt competent to describe its prin-
cipal sights, and where his knowledge
failed his invention came TO the rescue
True, he mixed things up little. Ho
got the National gallery and the houses
OF Parliament under the same roof,
Westminster Abbey and the Tower
within stones throw of each other,
while the way to the Crystal Palace wss
over London Bridge, and up the river,
past Battcrsca Park. But this made no
difference at all to his listener. Like
Desdcmoaa, she drank in all his de-
scriptions-
"But still the house affair would draw her
thence;
Which ever as she could with haste dispatch,
She'd come again."
All this was. fear, on Bcn's part, a
matter of calculation rather than scnti.
ment. That he wished to stand we'll,
for the standings sake, in the eyes OF
his landlady, goes without saying, but
the standing well brought with it and
after it some advantages that were OF
infinitely more value to Ben. There were
many things dear to Bcn's heart, but
none more dear than poachcd eggs and
hot buttercd toast; and though those
were mot in the contract" they were
almost daily incidents of Bcn's life. AT
first, it is true, he had not got on SC
well with his landlady, for notwith
standing the best intentions, neither had
been able to comprehend word said
by the other. Time, however, which
works wonders in so many cases, brought
amclioration in this, for Ben got a smat-
tcring Of German, and the Fraulein
picked up few words OF English, and
from that time Ben was, to use his owr
expression, "a made man." Though
not endowed with large amount o.
wisdom, he knew (Which side his bread
was buttered," and he resolved to kecr
on good terms with the Fraulcin, NJ
matter who else might be offended. Ant
the Fraulein herself grew really Il
like the big, boastful Englishman
and did her best to max,
both Of her dodgers contcntcd with thei
temporary home. This was about tn,
position OF affairs, when, some cightecl
months after they had left England, Mr.
Wcstly told D,n he should soon be re-
turning. This was sad blow to Ben
No more poached eggs on hot butteret
toast, no more idle days. He tod th
Fraulcin what the Herr had said, anc
she, too, gricvcd. No more stories abou
London; no more leaves from the ststcl,
genealogical tree; no more pleasan
evenings.
"And youmust go2' she asked. "Ant
shall never you no more seel'
This set him thinking. Why shoul,
he so back2 And the thinking cndc,
in resolution--he would not 90 back
1t came out in words at the first oppor
tunity: 81 do not mean to 70 back I
England, Fraulcip, but shall settle dow
in Germany, e can get any work."
"There is plenty of work on th
farm" said the Fraulcin.
This did not altogether chime in wit
Ben's view Of life. Work was thin
to be endured, not couried. Plenty I
eat and to drink, and nothing to do, wa
Ben's domestic creed. Still, he coul
work, and not work very hard; and
he married the Fraulein, the farm woul
be as good as his at once, and absolutel
his some day. lie might do worse; h
feared he could do no better.
'l've had some news from home. Ben